Board told to deal with EEOC charges

School board members were warned by their attorney Tuesday that decisions must soon be made on complaints filed against the school system with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Mediation on five of the complaints is scheduled for Feb. 8 in Nashville, according to the board's lawyer, Sam Jackson, who asked that a board member "with a working knowledge of the budget" be at the mediation meeting.

Also Tuesday, board member Donnie Moses was named to succeed Dee Dee Owens as chairman of the budget committee, and Jackson suggested him as a good person to go to the mediation.

"His wife is a complainant," Curt Denton said.

"Oh, I forgot!" Jackson exclaimed.

Denton continued, "I hear you saying we're going to pay these folks."

"It is," Jackson replied, "usually about money. I'm not comfortable going to mediation if we're not going to offer anything. I need to have the ability to make some kind of offer; it's not binding until the Board (and the County Commission) votes."

"If it's resolved, money will be changing hands," he added. "I will try to get you the best settlement I can."

There are two possible reactions to a complaint filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Jackson said, naming them as response or mediation. In executive session, the Board had decided on mediation.